USDA Milk Production

USDA Milk Production - 20 February 2013

January Milk Production up 0.6 Percent

Milk production in the 23 major States during January totaled 15.9 billion pounds, up 0.6 percent from January 2012. December revised production at 15.7 billion pounds, was up 1.7 percent from December 2011. The December revision represented a decrease of 5 million pounds or less than 0.1 percent from last month’s preliminary production estimate.

Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,871 pounds for January, 11 pounds above January 2012.

The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major States was 8.50 million head, 2000 head less than January 2012, but 6,000 head more than December 2012.

2012 Annual Milk Production up 2.1 Percent from 2011

The annual production of milk for the United States during 2012 was 200 billion pounds, 2.1 percent above 2011. Revisions to 2011 production decreased the annual total 81 million pounds. Revised 2012 production was up 40 million pounds from last month's publication.

Production per cow in the United States averaged 21,697 pounds for 2012, 361 pounds above 2011. The average annual rate of milk production per cow has increased 15.7 percent from 2003.

The average number of milk cows on farms in the United States during 2012 was 9.23 million head, up 0.4 percent from 2011. The average number of milk cows was revised up 2,000 head for 2012.